Shirt protector



Patented Mar. 23, 1954 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE Claims.

The invention, in general, relates to the packaging art and moreparticularly relates to means for protecting new and especiallylaundered shirts against wrinkling or other damage.

This application is a continuance-in-part of my copending applicationentitled Shirt Protector Form, Serial No. 45,592, filed August 20, 1948,now Patent No. 2,560,710, dated July 17, 1951.

A primary object of my invention is to provide a protector device toprevent damage to or wrinkling of packaged, laundered shirts, the devicealso being applicable to the preservation of new shirts in boxes orpackages in transit or on display for sale.

Another important object of the present invention is to provide a shirtprotector of the indicated nature which is especially characterized bythe provision therein of a collar-interlock for maintaining the collarof each laundered shirt, or a plurality of packaged laundered shirts infreshly ironed condition under all conditions of normal handlingthereof.

A still further object of my present invention is to provide an improvedshirt protector, primarily devised for use in packaged laundered shirts,which is relatively simple to insert and to remove and which can bereadily applied by the unskilled as well as the skilled laundry worker.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved shirtprotector of the above character which can be stamped or cut fromsuitable blanks with a minimum of waste.

Other objects of the invention, together with some of the advantageousfeatures thereof, will appear from the following description of apreferred embodiment and certain modified embodiments of the inventionwhich are illustrated in the accompanying drawings. It is to beunderstood, however, that I am not to be limited to the preciseembodiments shown, nor to the precise arrangement of the various partsthereof, as my invention, as defined in the appended claims, can beembodied in a plurality and variety of forms.

Referring to the drawings:

Fig. l is a perspective view of a preferred embodiment of the presentimprovement; this view showing the collar support in interlockedoperative position.

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the preferred embodiment of the presentimprovement.

Fig. 3 is a plan view of a modified embodiment of the invention.

Fig. 4 is a plan view of another modification Q1 the presentimprovement.

2 Fig. 5 is a development of a blank illustrating the stamping orcutting out of the preferred embodiment of the invention therefrom witha minimum of waste.

In its preferred form, the shirt protector of my present improvementcomprises a blank having a body portion of predetermined width,

gether with a collar supporting portion in foldable relation with saidbody portion for disposal normal thereto in operative position; saidcollar supporting portion having an extension thereon projectinglaterally from said body portion and terminating in a locking tabremovably disposed in any selected one of a plurality of openings at theopposite end of said collar supporting portion.

As particularly illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2 of the accompanyingdrawings, I provide a blank, generally designated by the referencenumeral II, which is preferably fabricated from cardboard or othersuitable paper stock and which includes a body portion l2 of generallyrectangular configuration including a pair of parallel sides I 3 and I4, a straight end I6 and an irregular end I1. The body portion l2 of theshirt protector is made to a predetermined width conformingsubstantially to the width of a folded laundered shirt, or a folded newshirt when packaged. The irregular end I? of the blank H includesbias-cut extremities l8 and I9 that merge, respectively, with the sides[3 and M as well as merge adjacent to the center of the irregular endwith the relatively short sides 21 and 22, respectively, of an extension23 integral with the body portion E2. The extension 23 of the blank, inturn, merges with a collar supporting element or portion 26 having anextension 2'! thereon which projects laterally from the body portion I2of the blank H, as clearly illustrated in Fig. 2 of the drawings; theopposite end of the collar supporting portion 26 terminating in astraight edge 28 in alignment with the side [4 of the body portion ofthe blank II.

In accordance with the present improvement, the collar supportingelement or portion 2'6 is specially constructed and includes a pluralityof openings 3| therein adjacent to the straight end 28 thereof; suchopenings preferably being defined by striking out relatively smallsections of the collar supporting portion 26. Moreover, the collarsupporting element 26 is so formed as to define a window 32 therein soas to render a laundry mark of a shirt accessible to view. The

extension 27 of the collar supporting portion 26 of the blank I l is soformed as to provide thereon a locking tab .33 at its outerextremityand;

the tab 33 is preferably formed by cutting away the collar supportingelement or portion 26 sufiiciently to notch the same adjacent to thelocking tab 33. It is to be especially noted that I provide a score line33 transversely of the blank I I at the juncture of the body portion andthe extension 23. Moreover, I provide a score line 31 in the blank II atthe juncture of the body portion I2 and the collar supporting portion 26of blank I I and, in addition, a third score line 38 is formed in theblank II intermediate the score lines 36 and 31 but in close proximityto the score line 3! as particularly illustrated in Fig. 2 of theannexed drawings. The score line 38 at the juncture of the body portionI2 and the extension 23 of blank II serves to effect the folding of theblank at the score lines 36 and to place the collar supporting elementor portion 25 thereof in a position normal to the body portion I2, asclearly shown in Fig. 1 of the accompanying drawings. The closelyarranged score-finest! and 38 serve to define a bridge section 39 andpermit folding of the blank I I at such score lines to fold the sameover the top of a collar. not shown, of a laundered shirt, also notshown.

The showing in Fig. l of the accompanying drawings is a view ofthepreferred embodiment of the present invention in operative position. Thebody portion I2 of the blank ll, it is to be understood, is insertedbetween the fold of a laundered or new shirt With the front of the shirtsuperposed upon the body portion I2 of the blank. Thereafter theoperator folds the blank II on the major score line 36 and again on thetwo score lines 31 and 38 to fold. the extension 23 and the collarsupporting element in relation to the body portion I2 of the blank Iithus bringing the collar supporting element or portion 26 into aposition inside the collar band of an attached collar of the shirt towhich the blank II is being applied. Thereafter the operator grasps theextension 21 of the collar supporting portion 26 and inserts the tab 33of such extension 21 into any selected one of the openihgs 3| at theopposite end of the collar supporting element to fit the same to theinside of the attached collar of the shirt and at the same time tointerlock the ends of the collar supporting portion 26 of the blank.This operation disposes the collar supporting element 26 normal to thebody portion l2 thereof. The preserit embodiment has been successfullyemployed.- in the packaging of laundered shirts in super posedrelationship one to the other and in pacr ages of four, six or othernumbers and it has been found that the packaged laundered shirtscontaining inserted protectors of my present improvement will Withstandvery rough handling and considerable weights applied to the packageswithout in any way damaging the laundered shirts or wrinkling the sameeither in the body portion or the attached collar of the shirt.

In the production of my improved shirt protector, as hereinabovedefined, it has been found that a plurality of the shirt protectors canbe stamped or cut from a continuous blank of the proper dimensions witha minimum of waste. For example, and with reference to Fig. 5 of theannexed drawings, I have successfully and rapidly stamped out of asuitable continuous blank of cardboard six of my improved shirtprotectors at a time and the showing of Fig. 5 indicates the manner ofstamping out such six shirt protectors wherein the alternate shirtprotectors are inverted relative to the adjacent shirt protectors duringthe stamping operations. Having the available space, it is obvious thata greater number of shirt protectors of my present improvement cansuccessively and substantially simultaneously be stamped or cut from acontinuous sheet of cardboard or other suitable sheeting material.

In Fig. 3 of the accompanying drawings I have illustrated a slightlymodified embodiment of the present improvement. This modification issubstantially in all respects similar to the preferred embodimentillustrated in Figs. 1 and 2 of the drawings that I provide a blank iiidefining a body portion N2 of predetermined dimensions having the sameparallel sides H3 and H4 and a straight end i I6 as Well as an irregularend I ii. In addition, the blank Iii is so formed as to define arelatively short extension I23 and an integral collar supporting portionIZEB with a laterally extending projection or extension l2? terminatingin a tab 533. Similarly, the collar supporting portion its of themodification of Fig. 3 formed with a plurality of relatively smallopenings MI in the opposite end thereof by striking out the material inrelatively small portions and is provided with a straight end I28opposite to the extension l2l'. Moreover, this modification includesmajor score line's Its at the juncture of the body portion H2 and theextension 423. a score line is? at the juncture of the extension 23 andthe collar supporting element 426, as well as a score line I33intermediate the two previously mentioned score lines but in closeproximity to the score line I31; all of these score lines functioningand serving the same purposes as mentioned above in connection with thepreferred embodiment of the invention.

The essential distinction between the modification of Fig. 3 and thepreferred embodiment of the present invention resides in the omission ofa locking tab on the extension E2! of the collar supporting portion iii?of blank III. As shown. the modification of Fig. 3 merely includes alatching tab 533 which slip-fits into any selected one of the openingsltI formed in the opposite end of the collar supporting port-ion I26.While this modification is not quite as advantageous in use as thepreferred embodiment of the invention shown in Figs. 1 and 2 because ofthe absence of the locking tab: with its interlocking function with theopenings at the opposite ends of the collar supporting element, the slipfit arrangement of the modification in Fig. 3 has served admirablynotwithstanding that it is merely a latching rather than an interlockingcombination.

A still further modification of the present improvement is illustratedin Fig. 4 of the annexed drawings and in this modification the shirtprotector is formed in substantially the same manher as the preferredembodiment of the invention and includes a body portion 212 having parallel spaced sides 2 l3 and 2 I l as well as a straight end N6 and anirregular end 2H. All of these modifications, including the preferredembodimerit, comprise a body portion of predetermined dimensions aridsubstantially of the same width as the width of a folded mans shirt. Themodification of Fig. i also includes an extension 223 integral with thebody portion 2 i2 as well as a collar supporting element or portion 22bintegral with the extension 223. Similar score lines 236, 231 and 238are provided in the blank 2H and serve the same purpose as the somelines 36, 31 and 38 in the preferred embodiment of the invention shownin Figs. 1 and 2.

The modified embodiment of my improved shirt protectors illustrated inFig. 4 is specially constructed insofar as the collar supporting portion226 is concerned. In this modification, the collar supporting element isprojected laterally to provide an extension 221 thereon which terminatesin a reduced portion 22'! and the latter terminates in a locking tab233. At the opposite end of the collar supporting element 226, theextremity is formed with an elongated slot merging with a transverselyarranged slot, designated, respectively, by the reference numerals 23!and 231'. At this end of the collar support ing element or portion 226,the collar supporting element terminates in a straight edge 228.Similarly, this collar supporting portion 226 is formed with anelongated opening 232 defining a win doW for accessibility to view of alaundry mark that may be imprinted or delineated upon a laundered shirtat the collar thereof.

In applying the modification of Fig. 4 to a new shirt or to a launderedshirt, th operator merely inserts the body portion 2I2 of the blank 2Hbetween the folds of a folded laundered or new shirt between the body ofthe shirt and the tail thereof and then folds the blank 2 upon the scoreline 238, as well as the score lines 231 and 233 to bring th collarsupporting element into a position where it can be inserted within theattached collar of the new or laundered shirt adjacent to the collarband thereof. Th operator then inserts the locking tab 233 into the slotor S1its 23! and 23 I at the opposite ends of the collar supportingportion 226, bringing the tab 233 ultimately into the transverselyarranged opening 23 I. I have successfully used this modification of thepresent invention and find that it serves admirably to maintain thelaundered shirts in a fresh and unwrinkled condition despite the numberof shirts that are superposed one upon the other in a package thereof.

It is to be understood that the appended claims are to be accorded arange of equivalents commensurat in scope with the advance made over theprior art.

I claim:

1. A blank to protect laundered and new shirts against wrinkling ordamage in packages in transit, said blank comprising a body portion ofpredetermined dimensions, a shirt collar supporting portion on said bodyportion; said collar supporting portion having a straight end inalignment with one side of said body portion and having a plurality ofopenings therein adjacent to said straight end, an extension on saidcollar supporting portion projecting laterally from said body portionappreciably beyond the other side thereof, and a tab on said extension;said collar supporting portion being adapted to be folded upon itselfand interlocked variably in an endless loop of variable size byinserting said tab of said extension in any selected one of the saidplurality of openings.

2. A blank to protect laundered and new shirts as defined in claim 1 andincluding a reduced portion intermediate said body portion and shirtcollar supporting portion; said blank having a first score lin thereinat the juncture at said body portion and said reduced portion, a secondscore line therein at the juncture of said reduced portion and saidcollar supporting portion, and a third score line therein intermediatesaid first and second score lines in close proximity to said secondscore line; said score lines serving to fold the blank upon itself inthree different places whereby said collar supporting portion can befolded up and over the outside back of a. shirt collar and insertedinside the band of the collar normal to said body portion.

3. A blank to protect laundered and new shirts from wrinkling whenpackaged and transported, said blank comprising a body portion ofpredetermined dimensions, a constricted portion projecting from andintegral With on end of said body portion, and a collar supportingportion on said constricted portion; said collar supporting portionhaving a tab end projecting laterally from said body portion appreciablybeyond one side thereof and having an opposite apertured end with aplurality of spaced apertures therein; said collar supporting portionbeing adapted to be folded about itself and variably interlocked by saidtab end and said apertures as an endless loop of variable size.

4. A blank to protect laundered and new shirts from wrinkling or damagein transit when packaged, said blank comprising a body portion ofpredetermined dimensions, and an integral shirt collar supportingportion; said collar supporting portion consisting of a tab endprojecting laterally from said body portion appreciably beyond one sidethereof, and an opposite apertured end with a. plurality of spacedapertures therein, said collar supporting portion being adapted to befolded about itself and variably interlocked by said tab end and saidapertures as an endless loop of variable size.

5. A blank to protect laundered and new shirts as defined in claim 3,said blank having a first score line therein at th juncture of said bodyportion and said constricted portion, a second score line. therein atthe juncture of said constricted portion and said collar supportingportion, and a third score line therein intermediate said first andsecond score lines in close proximity to said second score line; saidscore lines serving to fold the blank upon itself in three differentplaces whereby said collar supporting portion can be folded up and overthe outside back of a shirt collar and inserted inside the band of thecollar normal to said body portion.

VICTOR AKERS.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number

